DETROIT, Jan. 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- A designer's labor of love, a "one-of-one" 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 will be offered on Friday, Jan. 18, at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Ariz.  The auction will be televised on Speed TV.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130110/DE40773 )

The car has been signed by Edsel B. Ford II, William C. Ford, Jr., and Alan Mulally, CEO of Ford Motor Company.

The Mustang is the creation of Ford designer Melvin Betancourt, a former cardiac patient who feels that he owes his life to a dedicated team of heart surgeons at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. To show his appreciation for the care he received many years ago, Betancourt focused his talents on creating the special edition Shelby GT500 to benefit the Edith and Benson Ford Heart & Vascular Institute at the hospital.

Betancourt's Shelby stays true to the spirit of the original, but with a modern, sophisticated level of performance and appearance. It is finished in a special white exterior paint scheme, with contrasting white graphics and 20" white wheels.

The racing-inspired cockpit features white leather Recaro seats with black stitching.

The Mustang has 662 horsepower, and a top speed of more than 200 mph. 

It is estimated that the car will sell between $150,000 and $250,000.

For more information on the auction, registering to bid, or program details on Speed TV, visit www.barrett-jackson.com.

About the Edith and Benson Ford Heart & Vascular Institute

With a history that spans more than 90 years, the institute has earned international recognition as a leader and innovator in comprehensive cardiovascular care, research and education. Established in 1946, the cardiac training program is one of the longest running in the U.S., and the first in Michigan. The program is one of only three in Michigan for advanced heart failure treatment options and one of the few programs in the U.S. offering robotically assisted laparoscopic aortic surgery.

SOURCE Henry Ford Hospital